Who can be on the Monterey Bay Lightfighters Composite team?

Team members are 9th-12th graders from any Monterey County school that doesn’t have a mountain biking team. That includes students from any Monterey County public, private, or homeschool, including unschoolers and students in independent study programs, unless your school has a mountain bike team.

The only Monterey County 9th-12th graders who aren’t eligible to be on the Monterey Bay Lightfighters Composite team, as of Fall 2015, would be students of Palma School and Salinas High School, since both Palma and SHS have a team their students can join.

Monterey Bay Lightfighters Composite training rides and other meet-ups are usually on the Monterey Peninsula. However, this is a welcoming, inclusive group for high school age students from anywhere in the county who want to be on a mountain bike team. If you are from North or South County, Salinas, or elsewhere and have transportation to get to team activities, you are very welcome to join!

Girls are encouraged to participate on this co-ed team.

There are no tryouts, and all experience levels may join.

High school mountain biking is a sport where no team member sits on the bench!

[9/19/18 update from a second-year team member’s parent: “It is true that all kids are welcome to join. However kids who have no experience at all on a bike will struggle to keep up. This is a fast-paced high school composite team.”]

NorCal works to create a climate for high school racers that includes to “Develop an awareness of what it is to be an amateur athlete that is both gracious and respectful to their community,” “Promote the value of cycling to our community as a mode of transportation and as a lifelong sport,” and “Foster a responsible attitude toward the use of trails and wilderness.” Click here to read more on NorCal’s About page.

Active recruiting for Monterey Bay Lightfighters Composite begins in early fall, with an introductory meeting to be scheduled for a Friday evening in mid-October. (Official team year, and insurance coverage, commences October 15th .)

After 13 years of coaching youth (see history below), team co-founders Mark Kintz, a Monterey Composite head coach, and Patty Kintz, an assistant coach, will step down to a less active role for the 2015-16 season.

New team members are welcome and encouraged to contact James Lawrence now so they can join in October 2015!

This being a racing team, not a riding club, starting early in the training season is critical.

While latecomers get the coaches’ best efforts to help them prepare for races, the season goals of latecomers have to be substantially modified, as compared to their teammates who’ve been riding months and months.

A team member starting in October allows them the full measure of training and social benefits of being on a race team, so don’t delay!

If you might like to be part of the 2015-16 seasons’s sign-ups, or if you have questions…

Contact

The info below, which includes more history about the team, was previously published in 2014.

History of Monterey County’s high school cycling teams

The first high school biking team of any kind in the county was, to my knowledge, Calvary High School’s–the school now known as Trinity High School, located across from the Class I coastal trail. Although the bike team from that local Christian high school is no longer active, you can still see the school principal biking to worship! Click here.

The birth of Monterey Composite

Patty and Mark are continuing to coach high school youth: Kingfishers has rebranded and expanded to welcome other high school students whose schools have no team. What a welcome addition to Monterey County: The Monterey Composite High School Mountain Bike Team, with head coaches Mark Kintz and James Lawrence, and assistant coach Patty Kintz.

Who’s invited?

Monterey Composite is a welcoming, inclusive group for high school age students countywide who want to be on a mountain bike team. Students are welcome from any Monterey County public, private, or homeschool, including unschoolers and students in independent study programs.

There are no tryouts, and all experience levels may join. However, be aware that for the current season, team activities commenced in October, and new participants were accepted through mid-January for 2013.

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May 2014 updates:

Fall 2014 will be the start of Monterey Composite’s third year, and its third year in the NorCal League, as confirmed with James Lawrence. Congrats, Monterey Composite!

Team members are 9th-12th graders from any Monterey County school or home/unschool that doesn’t have a bike team.

New team members are welcome and are next encouraged to join up in October 2014. Starting in October allows the full measure of training and social benefits of being on a race team.

Everyone is welcome to come out and watch the races.

* * *

They would especially love to encourage more girlsto participate!

This being a racing team, not a riding club, starting early in the training season is critical. While latecomers get the coaches’ best efforts to help them get ready, their season goals have to be substantially modified, as compared to their teammates who’ve been riding months and months.

Missed the Monterey Composite pre-season invitation? Click to see their 2012 flier, and contact them to get on a list for their future notices. Note that although the flier stated “Monterey Peninsula,” high school students countywideare welcome.

If you might like to be part of the next season’s sign-ups, or if you have questions, contact the Head Coach.

For gals and guys

As of January 2013, the Monterey Composite High School Mountain Bike Team is made up of one Carmel High School student and seven homeschoolers.

All boys? No way! The team has two girls, and six boys. Hey, Monterey County teen girls: Let’s get those numbers up next season–contact the team and see about signing up!

NorCal works to create a climate for high school racers that includes to “Develop an awareness of what it is to be an amateur athlete that is both gracious and respectful to their community,” “Promote the value of cycling to our community as a mode of transportation and as a lifelong sport,” and “Foster a responsible attitude toward the use of trails and wilderness.” Click here to read more on NorCal’s About page.

Let’s go to the races!

Come on out and be inspired by watching the next races! Monterey Composite’s 2013 race season begins with a NorCal race on February 24, 2013 at East Garrison–where you can expect to find the entire southern half of the NorCal league!

Night training

Monterey County’s NorCal teams are fortunate to have a safe setting for night-training, even though since Fort Ord is closed at sunset, it’s all pavement. Miles of Class I guardrail-protected bike/multiuse path, and Fort Ord Dunes State Park, offer great places to train, even during the evenings. (See tips for biking in the dark.)

Other special mountain biking ops for youth in Monterey County

Want to perhaps be inspired for future high school team riding with Monterey Composite, or Salinas High? Here are two special opportunities:

Girls can mountain bike with Olympian Lea Davison and her sister, Leah Davison, for one, two, or three days at the annual Little Bellas Day Camp in April at Sea Otter Classic. Both local residents and visiting girls are welcome.

Besides biking info, you’ll also find a few other youth-related resources on this site. See Barbara Coloroso’s visit to Monterey County–“Kids Are Worth it!” Included at that link are teen and Spanish/English free materials on “The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander.”

Archived notes

As of January 2013, the Monterey Composite High School Mountain Bike Team is made up of one Carmel High student and seven homeschoolers. All boys? No way! The team has two girls, and six boys. Students who’d like to join later can contact the team about future opportunities.